“You know, I’d be a liar if I said it’s something that hasn’t crossed my mind before,” Peterson said.

“But I’ve also said to myself it would be so amazing to be one of those players who stays with one team his entire career, it would be good if I could do that. But being from Texas, I’ve always wondered, wow, it would be cool to play in Dallas, to play back home. Or to play in Houston.”

Cowboys and Texans, get out your checkbooks.

Unless a trade is worked out, however, the earliest this could happen is 2017, when Peterson’s current contract with the Vikings expires.

Peterson is from Palestine, Texas, which is almost two hours away from Dallas. It’s also two-and-a-half hours from Houston. Peterson also played college football in nearby Oklahoma and still has family near Dallas.

Although Peterson was candid about his affinity for his home state, this sounds more like a whimsical idea he has had before. Repeatedly, he has been clear that he wants to stay with the Vikings.

He also said that if he were to be traded, he was sure his new team would “welcome him.”

Chances are, Peterson won’t be going anywhere.

But it is fun to picture Peterson in a Cowboys uniform, taking on the legacy of great NFL RBs that have gone through Dallas.